Drystan looked up from where he was stood in the middle of the council chamber, the five most powerful people in Andover staring down from their elevated desks.

  Three men and one woman, the men of varying age going from Master Galen, the oldest and wearing his healers Garb was very much the quintessential old man with a footlong beard.

  ‘And what do you look to do if elected an esteemed member of this council?’ Asked the aged man.

  ‘Maester Galen, I look to improve the lives of all our citizens, to ensure that help is given where it is most needed regardless of social standing.

  The old man nodded

  ‘And how would you mean to accommodate this? Surely the healers are not expected to do their work for no compensation’ interrupted a rather squat fat man with rings on every finger encrusted with the clearest of gemstones, adorned in a soft purple velvet.

  ‘Of course not Lord Ghazan, I would look to raise a school for healing in the outer quarters, they would provide training for the new recruits, the level of experience is lower so the cost of treatment would reflect this however the value of the experience gained by the healers you would surely agree is invaluable’ Drystan proffered

  ‘It’s very easy for me to put a cost value on bringing up a healer to an acceptable level’ scoffed Ghazan

  ‘I am most confident in your ability to do so Lord Ghazan however the less affluent wards are as such an untapped area in this regard, the compensation due of course would yes, be less in quality however quantity would more than make up for this’ said Drystan

  ‘I suppose one man’s coin spends as well as any other’ Ghazan mused

  ‘And the opportunities for coin extend to renting the space, tuition and of course your generosity in helping fellows short of coin’ offered Damon

  ‘Lord Damon, please refrain from imposing during the questioning of your electee’ said Lord Galen

  ‘My most sincere apologies Lord Galen’ Damon said whilst bowing his head.

  ‘How would this enterprise benefit the mages quarter?’ said a man in a dark blue cowl, his beard chest length, back in the centre and whiter the closer you got to the sides, his sunken eyes rested on Drystan boring into his very being.

  ‘The mages again would benefit from the experiences gained Maester Corvus, a school would be best to facilitate the study of the body, the spirit, the mind and of course the effect that mana has upon them’

  Corvus nodded approvingly.

  ‘And lastly my good lady Scarlet?’ Said Galen

  ‘Mistress Scarlet if you please Maester Galen’ She smiled a predatory grin at the old man ‘ and I am as much of a lady as I am good’ she laughed to herself joined by the other two councillors.

  ‘I do have to say I am concerned by this offering, the healing is all well and good, gods know my districts need it more than most’ she laughed at her own joke ‘but I know very little about you, what kind of man are you?’

  Drystan swallowed, The woman looked at him the cay a cat looks upon a mouse whilst it plays with it, savouring the entertainment until it has had enough and brings down its jaws.

  Her straw coloured hair tied up high as her top was low, she was draped over her chair in a tight fitting dress the colour a reflection of her name.

  ‘Well, I come from a prominent family, we have a great investment in our city which I mean to see grow’ he nodded at Ghazan who returned the nod ‘I wish to make strides improving the levels and quality of or education’ he nodded at Galen who simply stared back.

  ‘I wish to see equality where support is given when it is most needed’ he nodded at Galen who smiled warmly

  Mistress Scarlet rolled her eyes, ‘Yes, yes all very well and good but stop blowing smoke and tell me who you are, what are you about?

  Drystan looked to his cousin eyes begging for help, all he got was a slight shrug and his cousins eyes darting to the other members.

  He blew out a breath ‘I am the man, to stand by your side, I am the man to have your back, I am the man that whilst you are down I am offering a hand to lift you up, I am the man that when you are up, raises a glass and decree your excellence’ He did not realise but his voice was starting to rise to just below a shout ‘ I am a man who would care for this city and its citizens as though they were my own flesh and blood, I mean to lead this city into the future, with your backing I know we can all benefit from making the city we all dream of’

  Drystan was panting as he finished.

  Scarlet looked down at the morsel and said ‘You are a dreamer, you are too full of innocence that life has yet to devoid you of. I prefer my men with a little more experience a really forged in the flames type. Darling, I don’t think you have what it takes to make the truly hard decisions, be the whip when the guiding hand will not suffice.’

  His head fell away from her gaze, ’I know, I have much to prove, I have not seen the hardest of times but do not think I have not been scorched by fire of my own, I may have a lot to learn but a more willing and able student you could not wish to find’

  Scarlett simply smiled down at him sat back and drank from a clear crystal glass.

  Drystan sat outside of the council chambers, staring at the portraits of the great men and women who had sat on the council years past their great visages looking down upon the mere man before them.

  That was not as easy as Damon had said it would be, he thought to himself, just a few questions he had said. He shook his head as he paced back and forth muttering to himself when the council door swung open, he was ushered inside by a functionary with thin lenses resting upon a prominently pointed nose.

  ‘This way sir, the council have finished their deliberations’ the little man said.

  Drystan walked back into the room where he saw his cousin sitting with a face like thunder, this was not going according to plan at all.

  ‘Young Master Drystan’ announced Galen ‘The council has reached a decision regarding your consideration for Council’

  ‘Whilst there is indeed a good showing of support for your acceptance, there is also the question of your experience and ability’

  Drystan nodded and looked at his cousin apologetically, his cousins eyes bore straight to Maester Galen as he continued.

  ‘Thus we have come to the compromise that you will be given the position of councilman on a probationary basis, this means you will not be able to vote on matters of consequence but I recommend you take the opportunity to see what is taken into account during such deliberations, you will be given the opportunity to show your capability by putting into action your suggestion for the betterment of our fair city’

  Drystan smiled and nodded up at the council, his cousin still seemed very sour though.

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  ‘We look forward to seeing what you are capable of Councilman Drystan’ he finished.

  The council all stood, and as one repeated ‘Councilman Drystan’ and turned to leave. Scarlet raising her glass and winking down at him, he gulped and swallowed again, his eyes made for his cousin who glowered down and nodded for him to leave.

  ‘Its utter madness, never has an electee been on probation, it’s a mockery’ Damon scowled in the carriage.

  ‘It least I’m technically on the council’ offered Drystan hopefully

  ‘Technicalities aren’t good enough, I had Ghazan on side and Corvus know what he stands to gain’ his cousin went on ‘You had Galens interest with that affordable healing thing but then Scarlet the Harlot had to open her mouth’

  ‘You probably shouldn’t speak about the council like that’ said Drystan

  ‘I don’t care, she should have stuck to putting things in her mouth as I’ve no interest in listening to what comes out of it’ Damon seethed ‘Didn’t I tell you they are stuck in their ways and no vision for the future’

  ‘Now cousin, please don’t fret, I already have plans to put everything into place, I have prospective locations, low level healers and students ready to go’ He smiled at Damon.

  ‘I thought you made all that up, how’ve you done that so fast? ‘Damon said

  ‘It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while, I just never thought it’d become a reality’ He smiled beamingly.

  ‘Dear cousin, you never fail to surprise me, now I have a number of appointments to keep so I shall have to let you out here, you’ll be fine making your own way home right’

  ‘Oh, erm, yeh shouldn’t be a problem, I could do with some fresh air after all the excitement’ said Drystan.

  He stood by the roadside as his cousins carriage rolled off down the street bouncing up and down on the cobbled road. He watched it go off down the lane until it made a hard left turn, he sighed and made his way over to his bench overlooking the market.

  He sat there a while ruminating on what had just transpired, what he was going to do, what he was going to do for this city.

  ‘Oi, you gunna pay for that’ a yell rang out.

  Two small figures emerged from the crowd, a boy and a girl running as fast as they could. The girl tripped on a cobblestone that was slightly jutting up from the others and she came crashing down to the floor with a scream, the boy looked back and tried to both pick her up and drag her onwards.

  A man in a leather apron grabbed the little girl and the boy began furiously throwing punches and kicks at the man.

  ‘Thieving little scum, I should drown you in the river’ snarled the man

  ‘Let go of my sister, we didn’t take anything’ the boy screamed

  The man lashed out with his arm hitting the boy about the face with the back of his hand.

  ‘Hey stop that’ yelled Drystan running over ‘What’s going on?’

  the man held up the little girl by her arm ‘These little thieves were pinching food from my cart, I have a mind to have them taken by the guards, bloody strays’

  ‘Here take this’ he offered a hand full of coins ‘ I’m sure it’s enough to cover the goods and the inconvenience’

  The man took the coins and dropped the girl to her feet, she ran over to her brother laying on the floor taking out a stain piece of cloth to swipe away the blood seeping from his nose.

  ‘We aint got any money sir, we can pay you back’ said the boy getting to his feet.

  ‘That’s not important’ said Drystan ‘are you ok?’

  ‘I’ve had worse from bigger and uglier’ said the boy

  ‘Can I take you to your parents?’ He said to the small children

  ‘Bloody good that’d do’ he said looking up ‘Hey aint you that fella that slipped me some money the other day?’

  Realisation dawned on him, that indeed a week or so past they were the children he had spoken to with their mother.

  ‘Yes, where is your mother?’ he asked

  ‘She’s gone, took that money you gave and just left us, haven’t seen her since’ the boy sniffed his eyes reddening he hugged his sister tightly.

  ‘Oh dear, well what about your father?’ Drystan said

  ‘I dunno, never had one, was just mother’ the boy said ‘It’s just me and Emmie now, I can look after her’

  ‘I’m sure you can but if its all the same to you id like you to get looked at by a healer’ he smiled

  ‘Cant afford no fancy healing, its just a bloody nose’ the boy said

  ‘All the same lets get you two checked out’

  On the way to the healing temple, Drystan made various stops, a bakery where he purchased three bread rolls and handed them to the children, a local tailors where he bought the two thick coats one blue and one red with brass buttons and even a toy shop where he gifted the girl a little woven doll and the boy a wooden sword.

  ‘A boy needs a weapon to protect his little sister’ he had said

  The healers checked over the children and barring some scraped and bruising they were in relatively good shape.

  ‘Now you two, where are you sleeping tonight?’ Drystan asked

  ‘Doorways or anywhere out of the rain’ said the boy ‘the man that owned our room said kids don’t have money and he isn’t a charity’

  Drystan nodded at the healer and knelt down to the two children ‘ I have arranged for you to stay here at the temple, now you will have chores but there will be a roof over your head and food in your bellies for as long as you need it.’

  ‘Can’t we live with you?’ said Emmie

  Drystan laughed and smiled at the children ‘I wouldn’t know the first thing about children, please don’t worry, you are in the best of hands here’ he patted Emie on the shoulder reassuringly.

  ‘And you, my boy…’ he started

  ‘Tim, sir, my name is Tim’ said the boy

  ‘Tim, I entrust the care of your sister to you, be a brave warrior and defend her fiercely’

  Tim stood to attention gripping his toy sword across his chest.

  Drystan looked back at the small duo, Tim giving his sister a hug followed by tickles as he turned to leave the room.

  ‘See that they are well cared for and comfortable’ he said to a healer

  The brown robed figure nodded ‘Certainly sir’

  As he left the temple, his smile faded, who could do that to their own children, he thought as he ambled on. This wasn’t the city he envisioned but by the gods he would make his dream come true, a city where the Tim's and Emmie's would know nothing but childish games, have warm homes and loving families.

  His cousin was right, the council had let these people down, they had allowed the city to stagnate and not move forward to a better age where happiness was given greater value than money or power.

  He would do it, and nothing would stop him.

  The sky’s opened up and the rain fell upon the city, on the roofs, streets and trees but at least not on the heads of two poor children.

  ‘It starts with those two, and ends with the whole city’ he declared to himself.